should resolve to keep your head next
time. Nothing in the world but panic made you miss that question,
Robert. Now go to the board and take the example I read you."

Bobby sat still, his feet locked rebelliously in the iron framework of
his desk.

Miss Mason took no notice of him for a moment, sending several others
to the board, among them Tim Roon and Charlie Black. Then she came
down the aisle to Bobby's desk, a piece of chalk in her hand.

"Go to the board, Robert," she said quietly, putting the chalk into
his unwilling fingers and closing them around it with a warm friendly
pressure of her own strong, slim fingers.

Bobby was suddenly ready to go, though not ready yet to show that he
was ashamed of the way he had acted. Miss Mason read aloud the
problem, and those at the board began their figuring.

"Margaret!" Miss Mason spoke so suddenly that Meg jumped. "Are you
interested in this lesson? Have you finished your page?"

Meg blushed brightly and bent over her copy book. She had made only
seven letters, but then she had been anxious lest Bobby get one of his
"stubborn fits," as Norah called them, when no one but Father Blossom
could persuade him to change his mind.

"I think Miss Mason is as mean as can be!" thought Meg to herself,
carefully tracing the outline of a graceful "S." "She says cross
things all the time. I wonder is she old?"

Old people had a right to be cross, Meg considered. Miss Mason didn't
look old--she had hair as yellow as Meg's own, and big brown eyes. And
she wore pretty dresses. Meg was so interested in studying Miss Mason
that the recess bell rang before she had finished her copy-book
page.

CHAPTER VIII

THE SPOILED BOOK

The children put their books away thankfully and trooped out into the
yard. Miss Mason, after putting up every window, as was her custom,
went across the hall to the teachers' room.

Tim Roon was so busy dusting off the top of his desk and fastening
down his papers so that the wind would not blow them away that he was
the last pupil left in the room when Miss Mason went out, closing the
door behind her. Tim waited till he was sure she was not coming back,
then tiptoed hastily up to her desk.

"I'll show her!" he muttered, tumbling books and papers about till he
found what he wanted.

It was the illustrated and autographed book of verses. And now if any
one had been there to see Tim they would have been astonished at what
he did next. Reaching do